Fusion 360 Essentials training

The following hands-on exercises will provide the skills necessary to develop basic knowledge of environment management, 3D modeling, assembly connections and other stills key to learning Fusion 360. In addition to developing 3D models this course will expose students to importing and manipulating data from other design systems and creating output to additive manufacturing systems.

These lessons are intended to cover the most fundamental commands that are required to create sketches, parts, assemblies, basic 2D drawings and a STL files for output to a 3D printer. The intention of the lessons is to allow the student to feel comfortable with the Autodesk Fusion 360 interface, by building simple, creative, and accurate parts and then joining the components to act as an assembly.

When complete the student will have created a Chocolate treat, its mold, imported and modified solid model data, created bodies and components that form a mechanism, created orthographic drawings and exported a STL file of a component for production on a 3D printer.

Lesson 1 – Introduction to the Fusion 360 Dashboard and Projects

• Connect to Fusion 360 Cloud services
• Explore the Fusion 360 Dashboard environment
• Create a new working project connecting to other users
• Scan file data without the need to open the design
• Creating or logging into Fusion 360
• Use of Dashboard elements including preview of file
• Create a new Project
• Create a new Design

Lesson 2 – Creating a Freeform shape using T-Splines technology

• Review design window interface elements
• Use a T-Spline primitive to begin a model
• Modify the body with Edit Form tool
• Close body using Fill Hole tool
• Create T-Spline Cylinder ~25mm in diameter
• 3 vertical segments and 10 radial is suggested to match the demonstration video
• Alt key will add edges in the context of dragging
• Use Fill Hole to close body
• Crease will break continuity between faces at a selected edge
• Finish Form converts closed T-Spline body to a Solid and prepared model for next steps
• Save a version of the model for later use

Lesson 3 – Visualization options for Fusion 360 Interface

• Learn how to select different Visual Styles
• Select an Environment to change the design window appearance
• Change the Appearance of a Model
• Explore Render options
• Create T-Spline Cylinder ~25mm in diameter
• 3 vertical segments and 10 radial is suggested to match the demonstration video
• Alt key will add edges in the context of dragging
• Use Fill Hole to close body
• Crease will break continuity between faces at a selected edge
• Finish Form converts closed T-Spline body to a Solid and prepared model for next steps
• Save a version of the model for later use

Lesson 4 – Create a Mold using Primitives and Export it for 3D Printing

• Convert Bodies to Components
• Create a new Component
• Build a simple Mold using solid modeling tools
• Prepare and export .STL data from the model
• Create a new Component
• Move Candy body to new Component
• Create another new component for Base
• Activate the New Component
• Use Box Primitive to create a Mold Base larger than the candy
• Activate the overall Design
• Use Combine tool to remove the Candy from the Base and create another new Component that shows the result

Lesson 5 – Create a Component Body using Revolve, Extrude and Pattern Features

• Modify components created by other contributors
• Insert holes to a component using a Pattern tool
• Add Work features to make a platform for geometry
• Create a new body in an existing component
• Open Grinder Design
• Activate Base Component
• Add Shell and Fillet features
• Isolate and make Arm component Active
• Use Rectangular Pattern to add a second hole 38mm from original
• Add Work Axes then build a Work Plane on those Axes
• Create New Sketch on new Work Plane
• Add Rectangles and Dimension them
• Revolve Sketches
• Add Fillets to taste
• Add Cylinder Primitive
• User Circular Pattern to replicate Cylindrical cut and Fillet

Lesson 6 – Connect Components using Joints to build a Mechanism

• Join components together to form a mechanism
• Drive the mechanism to validate its function
• Modify a component to complete its design
• Import another model to add to the assembly
• Explore Joint options
• Add Slider Joint to make Slide Block move properly in Base
• Add Revolute Joint between the Arm and both Slide Block
• Click and drag on arm to exercise mechanism
• Use the Animate Model tool to move the mechanism
• Add Threaded hole to Slide Block
• Use the Assemble > Insert tool to bring the M4 x 12 bolt into the design
• Add Rigid or Revolute Joint between two instances of the bolt and the Arm
• Exercise the mechanism

Lesson 7 – Create Orthographic Drawings

• Launch the creation of a drawing from the Dashboard
• Place a Base view of a component on the page
• Add orthographic projection views to the drawing
• Add detail to the views using Dimensions
• Open preview of Solid Modeling Test design in the Dashboard
• Use Create Drawing tool
• Place Base View
• Add Projected Views
• Apply Dimensions to the Drawing view(s)
• Export drawing to .DWG file

Lesson 8 – Import & Modify Data from a Neutral CAD File Format

• Import CAD data using a neutral file format
• Add features to the model with no need for conversion
• Use Upload > Import CAD data from my local hard drive to load Spatula Head.stp into active project
• Open imported Spatula Head design
• Add Fillets
• Use Edit Face tool to add contour to the face of the Spatula